Palghar: In a heart-wrenching incident, a woman had to walk for close to seven kilometres with her newly-born child, as she could not get transport owing to the lockdown.
Rashid Khatun, a resident of Tamsai village, went into labour on Sunday, following which her husband managed to arrange transport and brought her to the Manor Hospital, where she delivered the baby.
However, she was in dire need of blood. With the hospital having no O-negative blood, the doctors advised that she be shifted to Thane.
After a lot of struggle, the couple managed to acquire the services of an ambulance which transported them to the Thane General Hospital.
But the woes did not seem to end for the couple as they were asked by the staff to arrange blood in exchange for the required units of O-negative blood.
As the couple were complete strangers to the town, they could not arrange the required amount of blood.
Instead, they chose to return to Palghar, but once again could not find any transport.
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Having no other choice, they decided to take the long walk back home on foot.
Saddam Hussain, the woman's husband, said that his wife carried their newborn while he carried their luggage as they set off on the arduos journey under the scorching sun.
The family managed to travel a distance of around 4 kilometres, before they found an autorickshaw. With the help of cops, the auto was sent towards Palghar.
However, the auto driver dropped them off at the Manor Masta Naka, and the couple had to cover the remaining three-kilometre journey back to Tamsai by foot again.
The couple's landlord then helped them and got the woman admitted to a private hospital in Palghar, where doctors appealed to the citizens for help in arranging the blood.
After his appeal, a few blood donors came forward, and the required amount of O-negative blood was made available for Rashida's treatment.
Meanwhile, Rashida's condition is now said to be stable.
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